Chapter 40: Don’t Panic, Junior Sister

Senior Brother Li had not forced her; she had come to him willingly. She would carry the secret of what passed between them to her grave, or at least until either she or Senior Brother Xuan met their end. Although she shared a deep bond with Xuan Hao, Yuan Baobao understood the cold reality of the immortal path: the affections of others were fleeting. Whether she reached Foundation Establishment first or Senior Brother Xuan did, neither would wait for the other for long.

Knock, knock, knock!

Just then, an urgent pounding came from the door.

“Senior Brother Li! Senior Brother Li!”

Xuan Hao’s voice rang out from the corridor. Yuan Baobao’s heart gave a violent jolt of alarm. Flustered, she immediately released her grip on Li Meng’s arm.

“Senior Brother, it’s Senior Brother Xuan!” Yuan Baobao looked at the door with a panicked expression, her face draining of color.

Li Meng chuckled softly, his expression remainly calm. “Don’t panic, Junior Sister.”

With a deft single-handed seal, Li Meng summoned a golden talisman from the storage bag beside the bed. The Stealth Talisman circled Yuan Baobao once before adhering to her back. Instantly, her form vanished into thin air.

Li Meng retrieved his green robe from the rack and threw it on. Fastening his belt as he walked, he made his way to the door.

With a soft click, Li Meng pulled it open. Xuan Hao stood outside, bowing in greeting.

“Is something the matter, Junior Brother Xuan?” Li Meng inquired with a gentle, sleepy smile.

“Senior Brother, have you seen Junior Sister Yuan? She seems to have disappeared; no one has seen her for two hours now.”

Li Meng stroked his beard and shook his head slowly. “I haven’t seen her. The spirit ark is quite large; perhaps you should try searching the other corridors.”

“My apologies for disturbing your rest, Senior Brother!”

“It’s no trouble at all.”

Xuan Hao had only come to check if his Junior Sister was with Li Meng, as he was the only person on the vessel they were truly close to. Since she wasn’t here, he would have to look elsewhere. With a final bow, Xuan Hao departed.

Li Meng closed the door and turned back toward the seemingly empty bed. “He’s gone.”

With another seal, Li Meng recalled the Stealth Talisman. Yuan Baobao reappeared by the window as if materializing from the moonlight itself.

“Senior Brother, I should go. I’ll come keep you company again when I have the chance!”

She threw a lingering, coquettish glance at him before swaying her slender waist toward the exit. She cracked the door, peeked out to ensure the corridor was clear, and slipped out into the shadows, hurrying away.

Standing by the window, a faint smile touched Li Meng’s lips. Junior Sister Yuan was truly adorable; he genuinely liked her lively spirit.

Once we return to the sect, I should spend some quality time with Senior Qu.

Li Meng was quite fond of Qu Rou as well. Although it was a bit of a pity that she was not untouched, he viewed it as a blessing in disguise. Qu Rou was a Peak Late-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. If she were to lose her purity to a Qi Condensation disciple like him—especially one nearing his Lifespan Limit—it would likely manifest as a Heart Demon. To preserve her path to immortality, she would have no choice but to kill him. The current arrangement was safer.

Li Meng harbored no obsession with virginity. If he could form his Golden Core and surpass her in the future, he might even have her serve as his sword attendant. As for a Dao Companion? That was out of the question. Li Meng knew Dual Cultivation would be a waste of his time. Furthermore, he could never tolerate his Dao Companion cultivating with another man—not even a simple “Dao Exchange” would be acceptable to his pride. A sword attendant, however, was different; he could tolerate her finding others for exchange, so long as the “Yin-Yang Union” was strictly forbidden.

“I must reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible!”

Li Meng thought of the system. Once he reached Peak Qi Condensation, there would surely be new conditions for a Breakthrough. He couldn’t guess what they were, so he focused on the immediate goal: accumulating power.

Pulling a blanket over himself, Li Meng decided to conserve his energy and submerged himself in cultivation.

Li Meng did not wake until evening. He rose from the bed and shuffled to the window.

“The moon is full tonight,” he murmured, chuckling as he stroked his beard. After admiring the view for a time, he stepped out of his quarters.

He followed the corridor toward the foredeck, passing many Outer Disciples along the way. Most were walking alone.

How many Demonic Cultivators are currently on this ship?

Li Meng wondered privately as he eyed a passing disciple. He suspected anyone without a Dao Companion was a potential infiltrator. He, of course, was the exception—at his age, no one expected a young female disciple to follow him.

Without realizing it, he stepped out onto the open deck. Bathed in moonlight, the spirit vessel looked ethereal. Ripples of dazzling light shimmered beneath the hull, making the Heaven-Piercing Spirit Vessel appear as though it were sailing across a celestial ocean.

Surviving disciples were scattered across the deck, mostly in pairs. The survival rate for this expedition was roughly thirty percent—higher than the last opening. How many were wolves in sheep’s clothing remained a mystery.

Leaning against the railing, Li Meng gazed at the world below. The landscape was not yet fully dark; the distant lights of mortal towns sparkled like a second sky reflected on the earth.

“Senior Brother Li?”

A voice tinged with surprise and delight sounded beside him. Li Meng turned to see a Junior Sister with a voluptuous figure and striking looks. She wore a cyan rainbow dress that perfectly outlined her full curves. She was a true peerless beauty—the kind who couldn’t see her own toes if she looked down. In terms of proportions, she even surpassed Senior Qu. She was taller than average, with a hint of baby fat that gave her a sturdy yet feminine allure.

Li Meng smiled amiably at the approaching woman. “Junior Sister Hua… why don’t I see Junior Brother Qian?”

He scanned the deck, but there was no sign of Qian Wen, who was usually inseparable from her.